Page 17 of Chased By the Mountain Man

Breakfast is over quickly, but my stomach still feels hollow and empty. I take a quick shower and pull on my clothes from yesterday before following Trent to his truck. I’m going to miss this place—this cozy little haven. But most of all, I’m going to miss my mountain man. I’m going to miss him more than I can bear to think about.

He opens the truck door for me and I get inside, breathing in Trent’s familiar smell—musky and masculine. Once he’s in the driver’s seat, he starts the engine, and panic twists in my gut.

Will I ever see this man again?

Did last night mean anything to him?

Then the truck starts to move. My eyes burn, and I look over my shoulder, watching the cabin vanish from view as we begin the drive down the mountain.

8

Trent

We make it about halfway down the mountain. I’m staring ahead, concentrating so hard on not looking at Jasmine that it’s giving me a fucking headache. But eventually I hear her sigh softly, and I give in. I glance at her, and my heart pangs. She looks crestfallen, her shoulders slumped, staring down at her lap like she might cry. She looks as miserable as I feel.

I brake harder than I mean to and Jasmine gasps in surprise.

“Sorry.” I pull up on a grassy verge and turn off the engine.

“Why are we stopping?” she asks, looking around in confusion.

I run a hand through my hair, swallowing hard. “Fuck, I can’t do this.”

Jasmine blinks at me. “Can’t do what?”

I squeeze my eyes shut, massaging my aching head. I was so determined to do the right thing for her, and I know I’m screwing it up, but I just can’t go through with it. I can’t let her go. We haven’t even said goodbye and I already feel like my insides are falling apart.

I face Jasmine, taking in her wide green eyes, her button nose, that pretty mouth I love so much. “I don’t deserve you, princess.”

She looks bewildered. “What do you mean?”

“I mean just what I said. You deserve better than a grumpy old veteran like me, Jasmine. But goddammit, I want you so badly it hurts. I don’t want to lose you.”

She’s staring at me, breathing fast. “But…but I thought you wanted me to go? This morning you seemed distant. I assumed I’d outstayed my welcome.”

I groan at the hurt in her voice. I’ve made such a damn mess of things. All I wanted was to do the right thing for Jasmine, but instead I’ve made her feel like I don’t care.

“I don’t want you to go,” I tell her firmly. “I never wanted you to go. I hate the thought of you leaving, Jasmine, but I also hate the thought of you having to deal with all my issues.” I clench my jaw as I add, “You deserve someone who doesn’t wake up screaming in the middle of the night. I don’t want to ruin your happiness with all my shit.”

Her eyebrows are raising so high it looks like they might disappear. “Trent, is this why you’ve been pushing me away? You think you’re going to corrupt me somehow with your problems, is that it?”

I nod, frowning. “You’ve seen my demons. They’re not pretty. I just…I want what’s best for you.”

Jasmine crosses her arms over her chest, raising her chin defiantly. “You don’t get to decide what’s best for me. I know I’m younger than you, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make my own choices.” She looks hurt, but there’s a glimmer of hope in her eyes too, like she’s finally seen a way out of a dark tunnel. “I want you, Trent. I want you just the way you are.”

Something warm unfurls inside me at her words. I reach out to stroke her soft cheek, breathing hard. She’s right. My sweet girl is right. She’s a grown woman, smart and strong, and if she says she can accept me as I am, then who am I to doubt her?

“I’m sorry. You’re right, I shouldn’t be trying to decide things for you. I guess I was too busy trying to be noble to see it that way. But I want you, Jasmine. More than I’ve ever wanted anything. I need to be with you.”

“So be with me,” she says, her eyes shimmering with emotion. “Stop trying to be noble and be with me, you big silly mountain man.”

I grin at her, tracing her lips with my thumb. “I’d love that, princess. More than anything.” I lean in, my eyes drifting down to her pouty mouth. “I’m gonna make you mine.”

Jasmine smiles. “Is that a promise?”

I answer by kissing her, capturing her soft bottom lip between my own. She tastes like French toast and syrup, and I groan as she opens her mouth, letting me slide my tongue inside. Our kiss is passionate and slow, full of emotion, and I wrap my arms around her tight, exploring her silky mouth with my tongue until she’s moaning against my lips.

My perfect girl.

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